monsbrick

If I send you mail that has postage due please let me know!

How do you prepare for the holidays? What do you do? Which holiday is your favorite?

Friendship books and sheets are new to me. I have a few. Would you like me to pass them to you? Please let me know I have no idea what to do with these cute little things.

I appreciate all the prayers for my family. My brother, Jim, is healing from his heart attack. It has strengthened his faith. Remembering the fragility of our bodies, is a chance for us to get straight with God.

As of November 26th, we are still getting intermittent mail. Some mail carriers brave the moat that surrounds our home. There is construction on the pipes under our home.

I'm currently reading Sue Grafton's W is for Wasted. It's a mystery. And it's an alphabet series, there are only 2 more books. She never wrote the letter Z mystery before she died. I'm sad that I'm almost finished but I've been reading this series for about 4 years.

On audiobooks, listening to Joan of Arc by Mark Twain.

My reading goal for 2023 was to read about 150 books this year. I’ve read 47 books this year.

My reading goal is now around a 3 year goal instead of a one year goal.

When I tried to think about my Bucket List. The only thing I wanted to put on my Bucket List were books. I mean, there probably are a few things to put on the list besides books.... like I'd like to go to Scotland, Ireland, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Holland.

♻️

Paper: I love paper!! Any kind of paper, stationery, loose pieces of paper, letter sets, postcards, notecards, ephemera.

Arts & crafts I’m into are journals, book pages like old books including illustrated flowers and plants, washi tape, wrapping paper, home made paper, yarn, tissue, packaging, found objects, and more.

Thank you for all the extras and gifts from you all!!!

Likes: [I'm always trying new styles and techniques. I don't think there's a single style that defines me unless maybe eclectic is a way to define. Though there are times I want more of a simple austere look. Then there are times I want a more busy collaged and contrasting look.]

Vintage or new but in a vintage style

Junk journals and fodder for them

Art all kinds and every style of art and crafts

Die cuts

Doodles

ephemera, any

Lace

Ribbons

Rice paper

Sari ribbon

Stationery anything

Stamped images

Stickers

Washi tape

Found objects

Dyed by ink or store bought or hand dyed fabric or yarn

Recipes

In general I like all colors.

** For Journals **

I’m making art journals, junk journals, scrapbooks and more. I use planners for work and church and include some other financial and other details in these.

For junk journals, any size works for me.

And I like all themes. To give you a few ideas, here are some: sea, nautical, floral, circus, antique or vintage even if it's new but in the vintage style, Asian theme or French style. Grunge or distressed are also good for me. I often think of French as distressed though there is the sleek French style too. I’m really all over the place.

Any theme is good as I like eclectic or putting various themes together in more a mix! Ha ha!

I have been collecting things to put into a junk journal but I haven't actually started making the journal itself. I've no doubt it'll happen. I'm having a ton of itself and enjoying the process. I hope you enjoy your process too!

Been watching lots of tv or streaming shows.

Binge watching The Crown on Netflix and enjoying it.

On Britbox we watch Payback. And via PBS we watch the Paris Murders. I think I’ve seen police and detective shows from many European countries! Also Van der walk, Murder in Sweden, and Prime Suspect the old ones with Helen Mirren.

On Apple TV, Silo. It’s based on one of my favorite authors: Hugh Howey the Wool series. Wool, Silo, Sand

And on Amazon, I’ve watched and rewatched The Peripheral. I even relistened to William Gibson’s audio version. I’d read the book in print too.

I think we used to call this cyberpunk fiction but I don’t know what it’s called anymore. I just like it.

And the Amazon series based on Tolkien’s Silmarillion which is ambitious don’t you think? If you’ve ever paged through this collection of myths and songs and stories. But I did enjoy the show on Amazon, it’s called The Rings of Power.

I watch the Jesus Image and EWTN. My life feels so fragile. Well it is for all of us. It can be all gone on a moment. And that makes me push myself very hard and always has. Since I was a little thing. My caretakers died when well one of my caretakers was murdered. And it sort of jaded me but I’ve been through lots and lots of therapy and prayer and 12 step programs. Art is therapy now. But I try to not make everything cathartic. Sometimes a doodle really is just a doodle!

Here are a few of the artists and makers I watch at YouTube:

Ana Bondu she works in French mostly and her specialty is Gelli prints

Barbara at 49dragonflies who makes grunge and other fun styles of journals

Claire at art_journal love

Cathy’s Garden

Denise Love aka @2lilowlsstudio and she makes intuitive abstract art very colorful

Tim Holtz

Dina Wakely

Maremi Small Art

Amity Bloom

Gayle Agostinelli

Helen Colebrook

Jackie Bernardi

Jane Davenport

Louise Heinzl

Mystele

Niamh Baly

Nicole Relax.Cut.Glue

Nik the Booksmith

Pink Odd Bird

Roxy Creations

Shabbydabbydoodah

ShanoukiArt

Shawn Petite

Susanne Rose Art

Teal and Tattered Journal

The Paper Outpost

TiffanySmplySharpe

Willowing

These are my favorites!!!